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Starpoint School Board OKs vote to purchase land next to campus

The Starpoint School Board voted, 8-0, Monday to ask the public to vote on spending $207,000 to acquire 143 acres next to the district's campus. The board will hold a special vote on Aug. 30.

And since Trustee Kelly V. Zarcone announced she was resigning her board seat Monday night, trustees will place two seats up during the special vote. The public also will decide who will fill the term of Trustee Mark J. Montazzoli.

School Superintendent C. Douglas Whelan said he did not have any information yet on a proposed tax rate for the purchase but would gather the information as soon as possible.

Vice President Gary D. Braun said residents of the district will vote to replace Zarcone and Montazzoli. Zarcone has three years left on her term, while Montazzoli has two.

Since Montazzoli gained the third most votes in the election, he took over the last two years of Mark F. Domino's term. Domino resigned because he moved out of the district. The other two candidates who won the election, Zarcone and Braun, gained three-year terms.

Montazzoli announced earlier this month that he wouldn't be able to fulfill his duties and did not give a reason for leaving. His term expires June 30.

Zarcone hinted at family commitments as her reason for leaving.

She said that just because she was the second trustee in a month to resign, it did not mean there was any unrest among board members.

About 10 people attended the meeting, held in the board room. Board President Sam Geraci was absent from the gathering. The School Board also voted, 8-0, to grant 3.5 percent pay raises over three years for five employees in the district who are non-bargaining employees. One person who is classified as a "personnel specialist" will receive an increase of 12.5 percent for 2007-08.

Patricia Brzezinski, personnel specialist, will earn $51,969 for 2007-08. She is receiving the 12.5 percent increase, Whelan said, because of taking on new duties. They include oversight for all civil service personnel in the district.